Wireless communications networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and the like. These wireless networks may be multiple-access networks capable of supporting multiple users by sharing the available network resources.
A wireless communication network may include a number of network devices such as access points (APs) that can support communication for a number of wireless devices. A wireless device may communicate with a network device bi-directionally. For example, in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless device (e.g., a station or STA) may communicate with an AP via downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the AP to the STA, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the STA to the AP.
As WLANs or Wi-Fi networks become more widespread, roaming is becoming an increasingly important area for wireless communications. In the past, a typical use-case scenario involved a corporate or enterprise setting in which a handful of APs were deployed on the same office floor. Today, however, with the proliferation of Wi-Fi APs in malls, theaters, and other large public and private spaces, the number of APs and users in the same geographical location is exploding. While mobility is greatly enhanced with these expanded networks, the ability to roam effectively and to associate with an appropriate AP is becoming more challenging.